Remus II
The Shrieking Shack opened at ten AM every morning and closed at eight.
Usually, Remus was let off at four, giving him an hour of rest before his shift at Godric’s Diner began. However, Remus had convinced Madame Pomfrey to let him leave at two thirty on account of his new membership in The Marauders. Pomfrey had patted him cordially on the back, congratulating him with a smile.
At two thirty o’clock sharp, Remus shouted his goodbyes, scurried down the street, guitar case in hand, and hopped on the Underground. Taking the same route as yesterday, Remus arrived on Potter’s doorstep at just after three.
Remus lifted his hand reluctantly, pressing the doorbell and cringing at the booming sound.
Almost instantly, the door flew open, revealing an older woman who Remus assumed was James' mother.
“You must be Remus.” She smiled, grabbing him by the shoulders and holding him at arm's length to take him in.
“Mom!” Potter stood further into the house, raising his hands in umbridge at his mother’s embarrassing behavior.
Mrs. Potter shot Remus a knowing smile, letting him go and stepping aside to let into the house.
“Have fun, boys!”
Remus followed James further into the house, marveling at the decor and architecture. As if the house and location had not exemplified the Potter’s wealth, the interior of their home only lamented that James Potter must be the luckiest person he knew.
James led him down a hallway and a narrow flight of stairs and into a familiar basement.
The room at the base of the steps was the same Remus had performed in yesterday. A doorway opposite of the stairs led to a home studio where Remus and James found Pettigrew seated at a drum set in the corner, and Black standing before a microphone, a slick black guitar hung around his neck.
On the far side of the room sat a couch, and on the couch, three girls Remus recognized from the night before.
Mary Macdonald, who James had shared was Sirius’ on-and-off again girlfriend, was seated on the left side of the couch, dark legs crossed, hands folded on lap. Beside her sat the blond, Marlene McKinnon, bold and brash in a pink mini-dress. Together, Mary and Marlene occupied one third of the couch. On the other two thirds lay Dorcas Meadows, her head resting on Marlene’s lap, hands in one another’s hair.
Lily Evans, the chatty redhead, was conspicuously missing, Remus noted.
The band took their places quickly, and James hooked Remus’ old electric guitar up to the amp.
They spent the better part of an hour running over the more difficult parts of the songs James had given Remus the night before, giving one another notes and asking questions.
Finally, it was time to run through the first song, If Ever I Stray.
“Our one and only hit.” Sirius quipped, rolling his eyes.
The boys took their positions, Sirius at the front, eyes fixed on Mary, James to his right, both hands on his guitar, Remus to his left, and Peter at his drum set in the far right corner of the room.
“Five, six, seven, eight.”
Remus began plucking at his guitar strings, and Sirius pressed his lips to the microphone, coaxing out an enchanting lullaby.
Forgive me, someone, for I have sinned
And I know not where I should begin
And some days it feels like you just can't win
No matter what you do or say.
Things didn't kill me but I don't feel stronger
Life is short but it feels much longer
When you've lost that fight, yeah, you've lost that hunger
To pull yourself through the day.
At this, Peter began a soft beat with his sticks.
But if ever I stray from the path I follow
Take me down to the English Channel
Throw me in where the water is shallow
And then drag me on back to shore
'Cause love is free and life is cheap
And as long as I've got me a place to sleep
Some clothes on my back and some food to eat
Then I can't ask for anything more
With one voice, The Marauders screamed at the top of their lungs;
So come on everybody sing it one, two, three, four!
And all hell broke loose. James began thrashing the strings on his guitar, and Peter bashing the drums before him with his sticks.
Together they played, one band, one voice. A familiar feeling descended over Remus, as if the entire world were melting away leaving only his guitar and the music.
Before he knew what had happened, the song was over, and the girls were clapping and grinning.
Remus looked from his guitar to find Sirius Black’s ocean eyes watching him.
Remus grinned, quirking one eyebrow at Black’s expression.
“That was bloody brilliant.”